TND vs the World
by OriginalDemigodSuperspy
Summary: When Evil Exes attack, the lines separating love and war get crossed. Loosely inspired by Scott Pilgrim, will be a bit dark at times. Couples galore.
1. SIMPLE

**Chapter 1 of my first fanfic ever. Inspired by Scott Pilgrim, only substantially darker. Hope you like.**

Files upon files were stacked on the crammed little desk, to the point where some of them were in danger of spilling their contents over the floor. The figure gave a little huff as they sorted through the mess.

"Ugh…" Fingers encased in black leather grasped one file at the top of the stack.

It was different than the others, with a little sticker on the front. With a sigh, the lone agent flitted through the papers within… hold on there. This _actually _might be interesting… They tilted back in their chair. As they scrolled down the page, a familiar name caught attention. All of a sudden, a wide, almost eerily cheerful grin broke out. Idea upon idea began to stack and light up behind dark eyes.

"Huh." The chair swiveled about to face a darkened window. "Now what am I supposed to do with you?"

**

* * *

MISSION LOADING…**

**TEENS NEXT DOOR**

**OPERATION: S.I.M.P.L.E.**

**Snow**

**Initiates**

**McKenzie's**

**Painful**

**Life**

**Expedition**

**(I can't be as clever as Mr., Warburton with these anagrams. You wouldn't believe the embarrassing amount of time it took me to come up with this one).**

Rachel McKenzie did not live what most would call a simple life. She was organized and direct, yet for all her strategy, preparation and management, there was no guarantee things would ever go as planned. Even after specifically designing and sketching out her morning schedule straight down to the seconds it would take to drive to class, there was no way to control or foresee what would happen on the way there. Uncertainty was one of the things she found the most infuriating. Slow service was another.

There was a time when Rachel thought of coffee as the most horrid substance on the earth, a fuel to the flames of evil and corruption. But those times must have passed a long time ago, as she was now standing near the front of the line in a small street-side café, her very _core _aching to be filled with caffeine. She could hear the sounds of cold wind whistling against the walls, frost and fog creeping over the glass windows. Rachel did not intend to face the West Virginia winter alone, not without that little paper cup of heat in her hands **(1). **Unfortunately, she'd been having some trouble transferring that over to the woman behind the counter, who was still tallying up change for the guy at the front. She could feel the glares burning into the back of her head as her foot tapping grew steadily louder but Rachel pretended not to notice. By the time the boy _finally_ left (Rachel enviously eyeing the waft of steam billowing from his beverage), another good minute had ticked by. If this didn't hurry up, she'd be in danger of leaving the allotted five minutes she'd set aside for this little run.

"I'll have one cappuccino, please." Rachel said, already pulling out her purse before she even was at the counter.

Standard, simple, probably would be asked for a hundred of them before the morning was out. But instead of immediately jumping to accommodate the morning rush, the cashier just looked at her with tired, perpetually bored gaze. Rachel felt her left eye tick slightly. What right did the woman have to be tired? She worked in a cafe! Rachel had half a mind to tell the twenty-whatever employee to munch on a coffee bean and get cracking, but something inside reminded her that patience was something she was well practiced in. At least in theory.

"Will that be to go?" The woman droned, typing a few keys on the register.

"Yes." Rachel replied dully, drawing out the 's' in her irritation.

See, in her mind, the world was like a clock. Everything had a purpose, a course, and contributed to the great machine when running smoothly. So really, this woman should be doing her job with diligence and enthusiasm because well, it was her job! It was what she got up in the morning to do, after all. Why did something so simple have to be complicated? Another few minutes ticked by on the ornamental clock above Rachel's head, each second bringing her farther from her schedule, taunting her.

'_It's not a big deal.' _Rachel thought to herself as the world around her seemingly moved in slow motion._ 'I'll just… make up for it on the way to school. And if not, well, so what if it's my first time being late, it's not a big dea-'_

"One cappuccino will be-" When the girl at last placed the cup before her on the counter, Rachel had already slapped the exact change down and been gone with her drink before the sentence was even finished.

Snow whirled all around her, but Rachel wasn't going to be bothered by that, her boots trudging up to her car door.

'_I can make it! I can make it! I CAN MAKE IT!' _Rachel thought furiously, almost insanely to herself, not even taking the time to sip her generic coffee beverage as she clambered into her seat.

It may not have been the most original choice, but at least she wasn't like Patton. He drank his coffee black and at magma-like temperature, perhaps in an attempt to prove what a manly man he was to not need insignificant things like sugar, cream and functional taste buds.

The engine was already running, so all she had to do was…

_VRR-VR-VRRR…_

"What?" Rachel blinked at the angry rumbling emitted by her precious Corvette. "Seriously?"

But it was no use- despite the strain of the engine, her tires squealed uselessly against the snowy curb. The streets themselves were clear, but the genius plowman must have shoved all the built-up snow to the sides while Rachel was in the café, choking her tires. Rachel was just about to do a shout of anguish that'd put Darth Vader to shame when a stream of classical music erupted from her cell phone on the passenger seat. Teeth grinding, Rachel flipped open the phone.

"I'm a little busy, Fanny."

_"Well, ex-cuse me. You seem on edge. Something happen this morning to piss you off or what?"_

"Only the zombie working in the café and my Corvette being stuck in the snow bank." Rachel deadpanned, resting her chin on the steering wheel.

_"Well, duh. Everyone knows you don't drive a Corvette in the winter."_

"Pardon me for not knowing cars were interchangeable with the seasons!" Rachel snapped.

Sometimes she did envy Fanny's ridiculous wealth.

_"Where are you headed, anyway? Isn't your school canceled?"_

"My private school is notorious for never giving snow days. I've got class in fifteen minutes, and my damn car won't-" Suddenly there was a rapping on the glass of her passenger side window. "Hold on."

Rachel squinted, but a layer of flurries had coated the entire vehicle, affectively obscuring her view.

_"Look Rachel, I dunno if driving out there in this weather with that car is a good idea, plus we-"_

"_You _look. Even with the hellscape that is my life, I've never been late for class, ever, not since starting high school."

_Knock- knock. _There it was again.

"I'll call you back later Fanny, with my luck I'm probably blocking someone's car or something."

_"Rachel wait, there's-"_ She tossed the phone back into the seat behind her, grudgingly opening her door and bracing herself for the blustery road.

"Hey there."

Rachel looked over the top of the car and saw a boy standing on the sidewalk, a cup of coffee clutched in his hands. She recognized him immediately as the guy who was in front of her in line by his parka. The hood was down, allowing Rachel to get a look at his dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. He seemed about her age, maybe older. Seventeen, maybe? She didn't recognize him.

"Hey. Something I can help you with?" Rachel asked, using her arm to sweep the snow off her roof.

"You're the McKenzie girl, right? Rachel McKenzie?"

"That's me." She did her best to sound casual, but her eyes narrowed slightly. "Who wants to know?"

The boy laughed lightly, breaking eye contact to idly watch the falling snow. "You don't know me personally, but you might remember that a few of us approached you about three years ago."

Rachel paused a moment in the dusting of her car before shrugging. "My memory's a bit hazy around that time, sorry. Is there something you need? I'm running late."

"Right. Well, the thing is, we gave you an offer the last time we met, and you turned us down."

"You don't say."

"I do say. We tried a few more times, but you kept saying no. It wasn't something we thought of as strange at the time, I mean, we'd heard some stuff about you before and figured you were done with the fast life."

"'At the time?'" Rachel repeated. "Are you part of that gang? I told the seniors that came up to me last time, any club that requires me to wear my bra outside my shirt's either a few fries short of a Happy Meal or are into some weird kink. If you're here to ask me to change my mind, answer's no."

"We figured you'd say that." The boy said, his grin not wavering.

"So why are you here?"

He took a gulp of his coffee, exhaling an extra burst of steam as he resurfaced.

"You ever hear of a group called the 'TND?'"

Rachel felt a chill ripple through her that this time, had nothing to do with the weather. But with a short beat she kept her voice even and didn't hesitate.

"No… why?"

"The thing is, we've been getting some suspicions lately that it actually exists. And we figure that if it _is _real, then you're _definitely _in it."

"And why do you say that?" Rachel sighed, her voice a mixture of impatience and boredom.

"If you really don't know, then there's no need to worry about it. And if you _do _know, then I don't need to tell you. We just need to ask you a couple questions."

"Clever. All right guy, I don't know who you are or what you've been smoking this morning, but I've got reality waiting for me. Play make-believe with someone who's got the time and the patience."

Rachel sidled back into her seat, but before she could shut the door she heard his voice calling out to her again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Rachel groaned, loud enough for him to hear. "Oh really? And why, pray tell?"

"We're not taking no for an answer this time. It's in your best interest to get in the van."

Van? She leaned out of her car far enough to see the vehicle parked behind her. It was large, and old-fashioned; the sort of used car from the sixties a teen without wealthy parents would be forced to purchase. It would almost be amusing to look at, if it didn't have a ridiculously gigantic, bright orange plow attached to the front. Oh, and on the plow? Spiked, metallic teeth, clearly showcasing that it wasn't just for cutting through the snow. And as Rachel watched, a trio of bikes equipped with black armor paddled forward, assisting in blocking off the road.

"I don't know what's going on here, but if you think I'm going anywhere with you freaks, forget it!" Rachel slammed the car door with enough force to definitively end the conversation, and swiped the fog from her windshield. "Okay, dramatic statement complete, now _please…!"_

She revved the engine, and for a sickening moment there was only the sound of her tires pathetically fighting the new layer of fluff. She could hear the unconcealed snickering behind her, and her fingers twitched to the red button by the radio. But then, like a miracle, the blue car rolled over the blanket of snow, and nosed into the street.

"YES!" Rachel shouted happily, practically dancing in her seat as she switched gears and stepped on the gas.  
The Corvette lurched forward, carting down the road faster than Rachel expected. She could feel the tires slipping every so often on the ice- even though the street was freshly plowed, snow was falling even heavier than before, dotting the black pavement. But there was no time to worry about that- she could hear the rumbling and whistling of the engines in pursuit as she half-drove, half-skidded through at least three stoplights. Even in this weather, the streets were mostly cleared and she was driving a sports car- the van quickly fell behind. Just when Rachel began to consider taking one hand off the wheel to strap her seatbelt, droplets of water were dribbling down the windows. She hastily craned her neck and glanced up. Two teenagers dressed in black attire blazed alongside her, the heat from their jet packs melting the remaining snow that had been clinging to the vehicle.

_Thud. Bam._

Rachel cringed as the sound of two someones landing on the roof shook the car.

Right, because a car that obviously is being pushed around the street by the wind is the _perfect _spot for a landing! She plunged into a tunnel and swung to the side, attempting to shake them now that the road was drier and she had more control. But among the flashing chain of yellow lights she drove past, Rachel could see the blasts of red energy flitting all around her. Wads of gum sprayed the ground, tripping up her tires.

"Ugh!" Rachel maneuvered around the mounds of chewing gum, eventually escaping the tunnel and charging back into the windy streets.

Gritting her teeth, she could hear the ninjas clambering for a tighter grip, no doubt preparing to reach for a weapon. With a hand on the dashboard of her beloved sweet-sixteen birthday gift, Rachel pressed harder on the gas pedal. A sign warning about the entrance of a school zone flitted past, followed by a large, bright yellow-painted speed bump.

In reality, Rachel knew the car must've only jumped _maybe _two feet, but when the vehicle left the pavement there was a sick sensation on weightlessness in her stomach that made it feel like at least five more. The tires screeched and the tail end collided with the road with a jerky thud, but the satisfying sound of a body toppling off the car made her feel pretty good anyways. One had managed to still hold on, but he was obviously shaken and hanging by his nails. If she could just make it to the school… Rachel could see the large private high school in her peripheral vision, steadily coming closer. It was then that her eye caught sight of the blinking clock over her head. 7:56.

"I might actually be on time!" Rachel said to herself, almost awestruck by the revelation.  
She was jarred back to the present when a flash of red light shot past, and knew the bikes were still on her tail. By now snow had actually begun to build on the road, and navigation was becoming more difficult. At normal speeds it'd be doable, but Rachel had three teen bikes gaining on her and she'd rather skid off the road than let them take her to wherever they had in mind. The school was before her, but just as her heart began to soar with hope, the sound and sight of a speeding van made it into her senses. The old sixties van with the murderous-looking plow was pummeling above an intersecting street, hovering and powered forward by a large van on the base and dual set of rockets in the back. They must've taken an alternate route towards the beginning of the chase! Rachel cursed herself for not guessing it was equipped with additional 2x4 tech- as if they'd actually make away with her in a normal van, even one that had a monster plow. With a lurch and a rush of adrenaline, Rachel swerved to dodge the van's attempts at cutting her off.

_Ssssschhhhh-_

And this is why Rachel McKenzie's life is not simple. The universe _hated _her.

The Corvette plummeted straight into a patch of black ice, and Rachel completely lost control of the car. Some people say that in an accident, everything slows down and feels like it's going in slow motion. Well, it doesn't. Rachel felt every revolution of the Corvette, aware that each millisecond they spiraled closer to god-knows-what, and the speed of it all made her nauseous. It was at this point that, with difficulty, Rachel forced the door open against the turbulence, launching herself out. Her shoulder hit the road first, but though pain shot it's way through her arm she still managed to pull off a smooth tumble (or at least as smooth as you can get in this situation). She rolled with decent form, but the speed and wildness of it all made it impossible to tell where she was going until she fell right off the road and into a snowy rut.

_SCHRRRR-**BAM**. _

While those are the words Rachel would have used to describe the sound that followed, there was no vocabulary that could do it justice- The screech of skidding tire and crumpling metal, glass shattering in the explosion of impact and the wave of heat that washed over the whole area. Rachel ducked her head down in the rut, shock and adrenaline numbing the pain of her shoulder. Her leggings snagged against the sharper parts of the chain link fence that divided the street from the soccer field, but she stumbled up anyway to peer at the wreckage. Flames licked off the remains of the two vehicles, and a few teens lay unconscious or coughing outside the destroyed van. Her Corvette looked done for, windshield smashed and half the car crumpled like tin. And yet, a faint sweet aroma tinted the air beneath the gasoline and smoke… and then Rachel saw it. The bubbling, drying substance splattered on the inside of the windshield.

"I didn't even get to drink that damn coffee." Rachel muttered darkly, turning around to see the three bikes toppled over.

Two had skidded to a stop and tumbled in their haste to fall short of the collision site, their riders lying dizzily the road. The third biker had managed to help evacuate the destroyed van. Rachel couldn't find any casualties from where she was standing, but in truth she didn't care. She admitted that the years had hardened her and turned any mercy she may have had in her heart cold, but it wasn't something that bothered her. This was just the way things worked- sometimes people died. While most were oblivious to this battle, there were those who knew. There were those on the Inside, and those on the Outside. Teachers knew, but they mostly kept quiet and stayed out of the way. Parents sometimes knew. Most kids and politicians knew, and maybe a third of the world's teens. Everyone else was oblivious. It was a world within a world. And _this_ was the world Rachel lived in, the world on the "Inside" where the youth ran wild, the adults were insane, and everyone was armed, trying to make sense of it all. But as few people as there were on the Inside, even fewer were in on the big secret.

"Until now, apparently." Rachel sighed, looking over the blazing spectacle of the crash. "How are we going to cover up this one?"

"RACHEL MCKENZIE!"

Rachel cringed and grimaced slightly before turning to the breathless, red-faced vice principle, who was standing on the snowy front steps of the school.

"What?"

* * *

"Do you realize how serious this is! ?" Her father ranted, his voice reverberating through the parlor. "It's a miracle you didn't kill yourself!"

"I lost control on the ice." Rachel said quietly, sitting on the sofa.

Her father had been called immediately, and showed up not long after the cops and the fire department did. It didn't take long for everyone to get their stories straight- the Ninjas and her may have had a mutual hatred blazing in their eyes, but when it came situations like this they made it work so that both could come out looking as innocent as possible in the eyes of those on the 'Outside.' A tow truck, a few examinations from the paramedics and an pack of ice later, they were home.

"Corvettes aren't very good on the snow, I guess." She murmured bitterly.

"What were you doing going at those speeds in a _school zone _at all! ?"

"Dad, I'm sorry about the car, I-"

"The _car? _I don't give _damn_ about the _car!" _Mr. McKenzie bellowed before composing himself slightly. "I think… I'm done with this, Rachel."

"Done with what?" Rachel's brow furrowed slightly. "I've been in one crash!"

"I'm not talking about the crash." Her father sat in the couch across from her, on the other side of the coffee table. "I'm talking about you. The secrets, the lies, the sneaking out, I hardly ever know where you are and now this? I held back because I know you're a good kid, and I thought you'd grow out of it like Harvey did, but I've obviously waited too long to talk to you about this."

"What are you talking about?" Rachel sat up straight, genuinely alarmed now. "I _am _a good kid! I've always done _everything _you've ever told me to! I get straight A's, I take care of Harvey-"

"I'm not stupid or blind just because I'm old, Rachel." Her dad stopped her with his cold tone, his brown eyes devoid of their usual spark. "And even though I don't know what it is you've gotten yourself into, I know that this path you're on is not good for you!"

"Maybe not, but when something is done for the good of _others_, isn't that more important! ?" Rachel demanded, dropping all pretense before she could stop herself.

Her father was slightly taken aback by her statement, but he shook his head. "Not at the cost of my daughter's life."

"Well, it is _my_ life."

"You're _my_ daughter, and you're still a child."

"No, I'm not!" Rachel stood up angrily.

"Rachel-"

"LOOK at me!" She didn't realize how loud her voice was at this point, and how she was probably scaring the help, but even if she had she wouldn't have cared. "Just… look at me. I haven't been a child for a long time and you know it. And I can't tell you what I'm a part of, but you have to trust me. This is just… how my life is."

Mr. McKenzie looked at her solemnly. "This is my fault, isn't it?"

She blinked. "What? No, of course not!"

"Yes, it is. This is because of what I said to you."

Rachel numbly sank back into the couch, the words drifting back to her.

_"Horrible people do exist in this world, Rachel, the sort of people who prey on the weak and defenseless. And there are those who will stand by and let it happen. But there are also good people in this world, those who fight for what's right and stand up for those who can't defend themselves. Do you know which person you want to be?"_

"…_Yes, daddy."_

"_See? The world is already a brighter place, just to have you in it."_

"What happened to your mother was terrible." Mr. McKenzie said carefully, gazing at a set of photos on the mantelpiece.

Rachel's throat tightened. She wanted to say something, but she knew if she did, her voice might crack she'd run the risk of crying. She'd already decided a long time ago that crying served no functional purpose. And if it served no function, it had no place in her life.

"She wouldn't ask you to bear her as your burden. I'm afraid for you, Rachel. If she were here she'd be afraid for you too." Her father stood up and walked around the table, taking a seat beside her. "I _have _been looking at you, and what I see is a scared girl who's growing up too fast and with too much selflessness to properly value her own life."

Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing the water back into her eyes as she focused on the mantle, taking in the images of the smiling young woman with her blonde hair and blue eyes.

"You look just like her." **(2)**

She noted with frustration how much harder it was getting to stay calm. Yeah, it wasn't fair. But she wasn't going to whine about it, because she knew that life wasn't fair and had gotten used to the idea when her mother had found herself at gunpoint in a parking lot one night. Harvey, waiting in the car, had managed to duck out of sight in time, and he probably didn't remember much now that he was twelve, but that was definitely the time where his phobia of being touched came about. **(3)**

"I found you a boarding school."

Rachel spun so fast she felt her neck pop. "You're sending me away! ?"

"It's a chance to get out of this town, and to go someplace new. I'm hoping a change of scenery will help."

"Dad-"

"I want you to be a kid, Rachel. Make friends, get some distance from this… secret life you're living. We'll be okay. I just need to now that _you_ will be. It's not even thatfar."

Rachel slumped back into the couch. "…Where is it?"

"Virginia."

* * *

It hadn't been a very good day so far. To start, they'd gotten lost on the way to the school, as her father was one of those 'drive on your gut feeling' types, something Rachel found infuriating. If her opinion, someone should always have a plan, plus a back up to be able make decisions with certainty. More than once a family vacation had ended with their father 'taking life by the horns' and getting them stranded. Rachel had taken to keeping an emergency kit in the truck.

"I have a natural instinct for directions," Mr. McKenzie would say, leading them down a twisty back road through the woods.

They'd spent a good hour taking every dirt path, dead end, and possibly hiking trail in Virginia before finding the main road again, by which time they'd missed half of the student orientation.

"See, Rachel? I told you I'd find it!" Her father declared triumphantly.

"Yeah, dad." Rachel mumbled, stepping out of the car.

"This is going to be good for you. I'll come visit next weekend with Harvey for parent's night, to see how you're settling in."

After watching her dad drive off, no doubt to get lost all over again, Rachel admitted the only anxiety she had was towards how she'd be able to get away from the boarding school as regularly as she'd need. She didn't care about fitting in or making friends, she cared about her responsibilities. Holograms would fill her absence so long as no one touched her, but she'd still wind up missing class… then again, a boarding school would also make it easier to hide her activity from her father. As inspiring as their last conversation had been, Rachel wasn't quitting. She was never going to be a quitter again.

Rachel reached into her backpack, only to find that the map wasn't inside. Had her father taken it by accident? She wouldn't have put it past him to have mistaken it for the state map and attempt to use it in their navigation through the woods.

"Nice." Rachel groaned as she took to the nearest trail in hopes it'd carry her to the main quad where she could ask for directions.

Rachel supposed lost freshmen or new students were an annual occurrence on orientation day, but the way the seniors would snicker as she dragged her suitcase from building to building made it seem like a damn tradition, and one they all found very amusing. Rachel could at least take comfort in how she wasn't the only one having difficulty. One girl, a few meters away, was chatting on a cell phone, but the fast pacing and nervous pronunciation she spoke with made Rachel suspect she was merely pretending as an excuse not to look at the returning students jeering at her. With a roll of her eyes, Rachel sent a disapproving leer the senior's way, making them fall silent. Over the past few years, she'd perfected the art of the death glare. Cheshire Park Academy **(4) **was on of the most prestigious schools in the country, but it didn't do much for the 'private schools breed snobs' stereotype. It was beautiful, or at least as beautiful as you'd expect a school that charges 20,000 per year to be. The buildings were tall, made of dark red brick, the lawns were a deep green, and the walkways were paved with cobbled stone. Rachel followed the path until it led her to a small bulletin board beside what looked like the nurse's office. With a small glance at her surroundings, she ripped the display map down and stuck it in her pocket. She even began humoring the thought that this would be the last ordeal of her day- that despite the rough start, things would run smoothly from here on out. She should've known better.

The girls' dormitory was a uniform brick structure like all the others, though larger, and was separated from the boys' dorm by a large quad of green grass. She pulled the door open, and after some initial difficulty rolling her luggage through the door, she wandered down the hall only to come face to face with a winding set of stairs. About 35 'thunks' later, Rachel was finally down the second hall and in front of a door labeled '15 B'. By the noises coming from inside, Rachel knew her roommate had already arrived.

'_Time to paint on my smile.' _Rachel thought glumly.  
She just hoped whoever it was would be at least tolerable to deal with this year… the door was unlocked, so Rachel left the key on her chain and pushed it open.

"Ah… hello?" She called, wheeling her suitcase inside. "I'm Rachel McKenzie, your new roommate?"

"Shut the door behind you." A voice greeted back, and Rachel obliged.

The figure was kneeling under a blocky wooden desk, fumbling with an assortment of plugs.

"Uh…"

"I brought a printer." The voice explained from beneath the desk. "I hear the ones here suck, so if you wanna use mine it's two bucks."

"Great." Rachel murmured, rolling her things over to the empty bed on the other side of the room.  
"Yeah, snark as much as you want. We'll see who's laughing when the printer in the common room jams and you've got five minutes until your next class."

"I'm not that type of student." Rachel said curtly, laying her clothes on the bed and pulling open the empty dresser.

The room was small, but good enough for two people. Two sets of identical furniture were laid out- two beds, dressers, and desks with their own chairs. However, it was painfully obvious that her roommate had divided the dorm in two, shoving Rachel's share of the furniture all the way to the other side.

"That's what they all say. Look, I'm gonna be frank. Neither one of us wants a roommate. Neither one of us wants to clean up after the other, so how about you take care of your side and I'll handle mine, all right? And then we'll see if we can get through this year without me killing you."

Rachel raised her brow slightly, about to respond, but was cut off by the sound of a scanner starting up.  
"Finally!" The girl stood up from behind the desk. "Right, so about the bathroom-"

Rachel fumbled with the books she was holding, spilling them everywhere. Her roommate blinked, pushing her glasses higher up the bridge on her nose.

"A klutz, huh? Well that's fine, I wasn't going to let you handle my stuff anyway-"

"Ah, sorry." Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes clenched shut. "What did you say your name was, again?"

The girl casually pulled her chair up to her desk, tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear. "Lizzie Devine. You said you were Riley or something, right?"

Like she said before, Rachel McKenzie's life was not simple. And the universe really did seem to have it out for her.

**That. Sucked. I don't think I handled the mood and changes in atmosphere very well, or the characterization. Pfft. Next time'll be better, promise. I'll be including more characters, too.**

**_(1) __Lemme say why I think she's from WV- A. Harvey was in sector W, which is said to be near Sector V through various hints. Also, Fanny goes to school with Sector V, and her brother was in Sector W also, so they've gotta be close. B. Sector V is said to be in Virginia. The closest 'W' to Virginia could either be Washington D.C. or West Virginia, so…yeah. I'm probably wrong, but whatever._**

_**(2) Don't ask why, but whenever I picture what Rachel would look like in 'real life' (ever since I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S. where you see Sector V's live-action selves I was curious) I picture Emma Watson (yeah, that one) for some reason. Which is seriously weird, but meh.**_

_**(3) I made Rachel a bit cold and tragic here, only because if you look at the episodes before she became Supreme Leader (T.R.I.C.Y.C.L.E., F.U.G.I.T.I.V.E., ect.) she's really quite stern. Makes you wonder what made her that way, if it was before she became leader and all. I know when I said "inspired by Scott Pilgrim" people expected something really light-hearted, so I guess I wanted to establish what this story really was- a tour through some screwed up teen's heads as sh*t hits the fan. It gets better and more fun in some parts, but the underlying darkness is always gonna be there, I think. **_

_**(4) This is the name of a real school. I kid you not. And yeah, my boarding school really does cost that much. Yikes. Good news is that after graduating from there, you've practically got all your college credits already. Sweet, eh?**_

**Review if you want. I won't shoot you or anything if you don't. I literally wrote this in one night so don't be afraid to tell me it's garbage.**


	2. ACCOMPLICE

**Gah, I totally was supposed to have this up yesterday, but then I realized I hated the structure and had to move a bunch of stuff around, blehfibble. **

**Oh, and those who reviewed (the three of you know who you are) are the epitome of Awesome.**

**Mission Loading...**

**TEENS NEXT DOOR**

**OPERATION: ACCOMPLICE (Part 1)**

**Annual**

**Celebration**

**Causes**

**Operative to**

**Meet**

**Potential**

**Love**

**Interest in**

**Cautious**

**Encounter**

Rachel's phone was ringing off the hook all day. Text messages, emails, even an actual call or two, all poured in. Her hands itched to respond, to ask what the issue was and what she had to do. Night had fallen, but the school Dinner Hall was decorated warmly with bright lights and fancy tableware. A mob of parents, students and faculty milled throughout the entire room- it'd be the perfect time to slip out and disappear. She'd just installed some 2x4 into the closet of her dorm, but there was one, simple reason for why she couldn't fire it up and leave that instant.

"Lame party, sis."

"Yeah." Rachel replied dully, putting away her phone. "I see you found the food."

Harvey shrugged, stuffing some French fries into his mouth and nodding over to an area across the hall. "I've had better."

It was hard to describe Rachel's current relationship with her brother. Even though she knew it was necessary, she couldn't help but feel sad that Harvey'd had his memory wiped. He'd been a good leader, a good agent, minus his phobia and his arrogance, and it was nice to be able to share something with him. It was their secret, their "thing." He'd looked up to her, bragged about being her sibling while simultaneously trying to make a name for himself. But now… they really didn't have much in common. Every now and then, it was almost like Harvey remembered something- he'd start boasting about being related to her, but then forget why. He still wouldn't ask questions when his sister snuck out or disappeared with lame excuses, almost like he knew she was off doing something important. Once, Rachel thought he even had a sad look in his eyes as he saw her climb out the window, as if he wanted to join her and rekindle something he'd lost. There was no more inside joke between them, no more secret adventures, no more covering for each other or calling everyone they knew if one of them missed rendezvous. Only the lingering warmth, a sort-of understanding, a ghost of a connection that lingered and showed itself from time to time.

"Harvey?"

He gave an odd 'harumph' through his mouthful of fries which Rachel deciphered as permission to continue.

"Are you happy?"

Harvey turned to her, eyebrows high, and swallowed.

"Uh, sure. Ecstatic. How're you doing?" He deadpanned, turning back to the party. "Dad sure looks like he's having fun."

Rachel followed his gaze, and noted that he was right. Mr. McKenzie was excitedly talking to every teacher in the room, even a few Rachel had never met before, and animatedly asking about her progress. A pang of guilt struck as her phone buzzed again in her pocket.

'_No. This is my first weekend off in three years, and I'm _not_ going to let my dad down. Whatever's going on up there, they'll have it under control until I get back.'_

* * *

"That's it! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! Where the _HELL _is she!" A throng of operatives cringed back as a door on the far side of the room burst open.

Abigail Lincoln, flanked by at least ten panicked teens, marched across the Command Deck. The fluorescent lights glinted off of the small pair of shades she had perched on the visor of her red cap as she strode over to a large chair that was situated in the middle of the floor. The girl sitting in it was about eighteen or nineteen, with her long blonde hair tucked beneath a bejeweled tumbler cap. Perched just above the visor was an oval green gem displaying the digits '783'. The teens that had been following Abby hastily saluted, but the girl merely blinked and looked down as if just noticing her.  
"Who?"

Abby twitched, but took a breath.

"Numbuh 5's been hounded by the _entire_ CoveOps Department all day," She began, her voice shaking slightly. "Where's Numbuh 362?"

Even after entering the TND and after her 'uh' replaced with an 'er' Abby never really felt bothered enough to change the pronunciation of the codenames.

"Hm…" Number 783 leisurely pulled out a touchpad, and flitted through the different screens. "Rachel's taking the weekend off. The first one in about three years, it seems. How 'bout that?"

"'Taking the weekend off?' _Her?_" Abby repeated, snatching a clipboard from the boy beside her. "Sir, we've had multiple attacks on many of our undercover operatives, and the medical stations are filling up. The Teen Ninjas are trying to root out spies by attacking anyone who was a high priority agent in the KND, even some who really were decommissioned."

"That does sound serious." Number 783 said calmly, flicking her finger across the touchpad screen. "I've already asked the Medical Department to begin transferring patients here for their care. As for you being 'hounded', Number 362 is Coordinator of the Undercover Operatives. And it _is _the undercover operatives who are being targeted, yes?"

"Yes, but why are they all following _me _everywhere?" Abby groaned, waving her arm at the mob behind her. "Every time Abby turns around they've gone and multiplied!"

"Well, that's obvious." 783 shrugged. "When a leader is absent the masses turn to the next most capable individual. And the stealth operatives look up to you, of course."

Number 783 was considerably laid back for someone with her position, and was nearly impossible to phase. The TND was half the size of the KND, but it was still rather surreal to see the Absolute Leader signing weapon authorizations with an ipod headphone dangling from one ear. Abby, however, had been getting her ear screamed off by an entire branch of the organization for the past few hours, and it all brought back hazy memories of sleepless nights and frantic mornings that she'd barely survived while being Soopreme Leader. So she wasn't about to be so easily appeased, especially not with that freshman _still _tugging at her sleeve and trying to get her attention.

"That's flattering and all, but this is a state of emergency!" Abby protested, shaking her arm free and taking a step forward, "Now is no time to be having a weekend off, especially since Numbuh 5's not equipped to lead the whole department by herself! We've got hundreds of agents unaccounted for, more and more are reporting injuries and- "

"Number 5, try to relax." 783 smiled and hopped down from her seat. "We're sending out transmissions to all agents to give us their status and location, and sent word for them to make way to a safe house. As for the injured and missing, I've already deployed the Seniority Squad."

All at once, a collective shiver ran down the spines of those in the room, and Abby could feel the younger operatives exchanging nervous glances. 783 didn't really notice; she was gazing over the edge of the railing. The Command Deck overlooked a large bullpen; an all-white room decorated with multiple desks, where operatives frantically worked and ran from station to station.

"However I do disagree with your earlier statement; you are a very capable leader. Weren't you a Soopreme Commander?"

"Yeah, and it was like runnin' hell for a year, even after living with the circus that was Sector V." Abby muttered, readjusting her cap indignantly. "It's not like I ever wanted the job, but someone had to do it after Rachel left."

783 smiled, but her eyes were distant.

"…You know what's happening, don't you?" She said calmly, folding her arms behind her back. "At this rate, we could have a war on our hands. The Ninjas are deserters and cowards, but still, the Teens Next Door is an underground organization. We've always attacked from the shadows, and now… We need to know who gave the Ninjas their information. They've been suspicious for ages, but to actually make a move like this, it'd have to be from someone credible."

"So what do we do? Do we keep up the act that we don't exist and wait this out, or do we expose ourselves in a full-on retaliation?"

"It's a bit early to say. From what we're seeing, for the Teenz to go forward with such conviction, this may not be something we can wait out. But if we do reveal ourselves, there'll be no turning back. The entire organization will be exposed permanently, and centuries of maintaining our secret will be lost not only to enemies, but to the Kids Next Door as well. God knows the confusion that'll cause." 783 sighed. "We're not children anymore, and none of us are strangers to the battlefield. But the best we can do at the moment is take care of our people and be prepared for the worst. These next few days will be what determines the future of teenagers everywhere."

783 placed a hand on Abby's shoulder.

"No matter what way things go, the Teens Next Door are going to need you, Abby. The others follow you because they know you're a true leader. Don't hide from it, embrace it, and you'll be unstoppable."

"…That was mighty cheesy, sir."

783 laughed. "Yes, it was."

"But thank you." Abby removed the shades from her visor and slid them up the bridge of her nose. "But seriously, where's 362?"

"She's stopped responding to our alerts. She sent out a message a few hours ago confirming her safety, so we just have to assume she's alright and that whatever she's doing is of extreme importance."

* * *

"Hey, you know Pac-Man?"

She didn't even spare a glance to the boy beside her.

"I know _of_ him." Rachel replied dryly, not moving from her spot against the wall.

The party itself had quickly gotten boring, not that you could tell by looking at the adults. Rachel suspected that none of them must've really gotten out much, because both parents and teachers alike seemed to be having the time of their lives. Things had somehow moved from watching the teachers discuss syllabi and college relevance to each parent boasting to the others about their child's accomplishments. It was all very reminiscent of some of the dinner parties she'd been forced to go to over the years. So naturally, the actual students began to gradually disappear. They'd sneak out of back doors, through the kitchen, and Rachel had watched one boy in particular go into the bathroom and never come back out. It wasn't until Rachel looked around that she realized her brain had been set on 'autopilot' for so long that she didn't notice her own brother leave. Those who remained had either formed clusters of their own or taken to lazing about the room. Rachel stood jadedly in solitude, itching to flip open her phone and tell the Communications Department that she'd be there as soon as she could. But every now and then her father would send a glance or a proud smile her way, and her will would crumble. She'd only been jolted from her reverie when a boy sidled up beside her and gave what was quite possibly the lamest pick-up in history.

"Well, uh, the original name for Pac-Man was actually Puck Man, and you'd think it'd be because he looks like a hockey puck, but it actually came from the Japanese saying paku-paku, which means to flap one's mouth open and closed. They changed it because they thought people would vandalize it, you know scratch up the P and turn it into an F or whatever?"

"…Yeah, that's fascinating." Rachel finally replied, her closet rocket becoming more and more inviting. **(1)**

"Um…" The boy fidgeted before taking a step back. "I'll leave you alone forever now."

"That'd be great, thanks."

There was an awkward silence, within which she noticed a group of older boys across the room snickering, no doubt at their friend's situation. Rachel paused. If there was one thing that filled her with more ire than lame pick up lines, it was when people laughed at the vulnerable.

"Hold up." Rachel pushed herself off the wall. "What's your name?"

The boy turned back, and Rachel took note of how he was at least an inch shorter than her, and definitely of Asian heritage.

"Knives Chau."

"Some name." **(2)**

"It's gotten me into trouble on occasion." The boy shrugged. "And you're…?"

"Rachel McKenzie." Rachel extended her hand, which Knives shook awkwardly.

'_Oh, right. Normal people don't shake hands, do they?' _

"So how old are you, anyway?" She asked, releasing him.

"15."

Rachel raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"14. 13. 12. No, seriously, I'm 12." He nodded over towards the group of boys, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I'm just here visiting my brother, he's a senior."

"Ah." Rachel looked around, and spotted her father excitedly chatting with at least five other adults- he wouldn't miss her for a few minutes. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

"Seriously?"

"Why not, if it'll shut those idiots up."

They made their way to the back door, a gust of cool air billowing in as they stepped outside. For a little while they walked in silence, the crisp outer layer of snow crumpling with a satisfying _crunch _beneath their feet.

"So where are you from?" Rachel broke the silence, leading them down one of the many spindly paths.

Tiny lanterns were stabbed into the ground on either side of the trail, lighting their way while making the frost glitter festively.

"Oh, we live in town." Knives shrugged. "My brother was sent to boarding school as a 'last resort'. How about you?"

"West Virginia." Rachel said, retying her scarf. "I came here sometime last month."

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"I'm away from my family, my responsibilities are piling up, and my roommate likes to play _pop _music. In the _morning."_

"Ouch."

"But I dunno. Maybe it _was _a good idea. I just needed a fresh start, I guess. Little bit of an escape."

"Did you get what you were looking for?" Knives asked.

The amount of interest in his voice surprised her. Rachel stopped a moment, looking up at the starry sky before sweeping her eyes over the snow-coated campus. "I still might."

"Hey Rachel!" Harvey's voice carried over the trees from the parking lot. "Get your ass over here already!"

Rachel glanced at Knives who waved his hand dismissively. "Go ahead. But before you go, uh, would you… like to hang out with me sometime?"

She blinked. "You want me to _hang out_ with you?"

"Well… yeah. You're the new kid in town; I've lived here forever, so there are… reasons for you to… hang out with me." Knives trailed off nervously.

"You have no idea how to talk to a girl, do you?"

"No, not really."

Rachel shrugged. "Sure. Hanging out sounds… sure."

"RA-CHEL!" Harvey's obnoxious shouting echoed around them, and they both cringed. "Come on, it's freezing out here!"

Giving a final wave, Rachel jogged back down the trail, and made her way across the quad. There was something interesting about walking with Knives. Maybe it was because he was on the Outside, and didn't look at her with the usual expressions of either admiration or fear that most others did. There were no expectations, no pressure. Being with him almost made her feel… normal. Something inside told her that spending time with him wasn't a good idea; that this couldn't end well. She wasn't equipped to maintain a friendship with anyone, least of all a boy. Rachel pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind as she neared the parking lot. Her father was there with Harvey beside the car, the engine already rumbling.

"Leaving so soon?" She asked, slowing her pace.

"Yeah, the sooner we leave the better." Harvey crossed his arms. "Knowing dad, it'll take us at least half the night to get home."

"Your brother has no faith in me." Mr. McKenzie shook his head.

"Imagine that. Did you guys have fun?"

"I expected it to be worse." Harvey admitted. "Your roommate's alright, too."

"Your approval means so much."

Harvey stuck out his tongue as her father placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm so proud of you, Rachel." Mr. McKenzie beamed. "All of your teachers say you're a very focused, diligent student."

Rachel didn't bother to point out that she'd always been that way with her studies, or that it was only two weeks into the classes, and just let her father keep grinning as she hugged him goodbye.

"I know this wasn't easy, but you toughed it out and that means a lot to me." Her father kissed her forehead and climbed back into the car. "Call us anytime you're feeling homesick and we'll check you off campus for a weekend, alright?"

"Sure, dad." Rachel smiled, turning to Harvey.

"So… bye n' stuff." Harvey nodded, hands in his jacket pockets.

"Yeah. And stuff." That was as much affection that she'd get from him, so Rachel let him climb into the passenger's seat.

"Oh, and Rachel!" Harvey leaned over the roof of the car, "Maybe it's not my happiness you should keep worrying about."

The car door slammed shut, and with a final wave from her family, the car backed out of the lot. Rachel stood beneath the light of the nearby lanterns until the headlights were completely out of sight, contemplating her next move. Then she flipped open her phone.

"This is Number 362, reporting in. What's the situation?"

**-TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED-**

**It's short because I couldn't get the flow right even after hitting my head against the keyboard, so I split the original chapter 2 in half and am posting the segments separately. Chapter 3/continued Ch2 should be up with an hour or two. Hopefully. Maybe.**

_**(1)**_ _**Yes, for those who spotted, Rachel's going to have a bit of both Scott and Ramona in her. And yes, you're allowed to be confused. There will be much mixing and matching of characters to keep it from getting predictable. That, and I couldn't resist doing the Pac Man story. XD**_

_**(2) I know in the SP-verse Knives is a girl's name, but in my opinion it's pretty damn ridiculous a name for both genders!**_

**Gah, everyone can feel free to shoot me now.**


	3. ACCOMPLICE pt2

**Okay, this is the third chapter, and… I have nothing else to say. Huh.**

**Oh, except that apparently two hours for me is an entire night for the rest of the world XP**

**-TRANSMISSION RE-ESTABLISHED-**

When you're young, you think that the world is safe, and danger only lives in stories or make-believe games. The minute it's time for bed, or the teacher calls you in from recess, it's over and everyone's back in their comfortable lives. You think that the grown-ups are going to make the world safe for you, and at the time it doesn't seem like a lot to ask. After all, adults are all knowing, and all-powerful. They'll take care of you, protect you, and when they say something they're always right, so when you grow up, you'll be all-knowing too… and you won't be afraid of anything anymore.

And then there are those who know better. There are those who even from a young age, realize that the world isn't the perfect place you expected it to be- That adults are not all knowing or as wise as you thought, but they _are_ more powerful. They're bigger and stronger than you, and they won't think twice about hurting you if they want.

Growing up may not have much to do with age, but as we _mature_, we begin to really understand- there is no safety in adulthood. They're just as afraid as everyone else, and they'll tell lies to make everything seem all right. They'll attack what they don't understand and destroy what they see as a threat. And the things like weekends and candy and recess don't seem so important anymore. Rachel's not sure when she crossed the line into maturity. Was it after her mom's death? Was it when she became Soopreme Leader? Or was it when he left, and Rachel realized that you couldn't depend on anyone but yourself, because if you do, you'll just get disappointed… And that this is a solitary existence we're all leading. That shouldn't have bothered her- she was bad with people and good with war, so shouldn't she be happy doing what came naturally to her? Intimacy was a foreign concept. She may have been on the Inside, but when it came to human companionship, she might as well have been a Diabetic child looking into the window of a candy store- longing for something that was alluring, sweet, but would ultimately kill her if she lost herself. So she embraced the cold, and gave herself to the cause completely. If she didn't live for herself, why not make her life useful to others? ...But even that didn't stop the doubts from creeping into her mind every now and then.

Rachel was making her way through what looked like the lobby of a large, wayside shopping mall- only instead of stores, there were armories, offices, and various overlapping levels. The architecture was bizarre and uneven, but she somehow managed to navigate through it, jogging her way up the escalators until making it to the Command Deck.

"Okay, I'm here, who's dead and what do I need to do?" She asked breathlessly, crossing the platform.

"Rachel!" 783 waved from her chair. "Good to see you. Enjoy your weekend off?"

"It was really only one day off, sir." Rachel replied, saluting. "What's our status?"

"Continued attacks on undercover operatives, although they have become more subdued."

"And the Kids Next Door?"

"This threat is exclusively ours, so other than suspicion over the Teenz's movements they haven't gotten any details. Their Soopreme Leader has received a status update from the undercover operatives downplaying the situation, but we don't know how long she can keep it under wraps if this isn't resolved soon."

The CoveOps department was still inclined to send information collected by their spies to the Soopreme Leader, but kids and teens lived in separate worlds. They each had their own villains and threats to deal with.

"So how shall we proceed, Number 783?"

"I'm holding a meeting at 22:00 hours tonight with all the Department Leaders and their second in command. I hope you'll attend with Number 5?"

"Of course, sir." Rachel nodded.

"Then dismissed."

* * *

The TND Space Base was a large structure that hovered just within Earth's orbit, hidden with a 2x4 cloaking device. It was an odd-looking thing- if you could imagine a large shopping mall meshed with an office building and covered by a large dome, you wouldn't be far off. It was also constantly in motion, meaning to find it you'd have to send notification and receive the proper coordinates. It was all very tedious and slow, but was just one of the many precautions to ensure the secrecy of the organization. The secrecy that was now in danger of being exposed. What would they do if that happened? Would that much really change? There'd be confusion in the KND for sure, but nothing catastrophic. They would be able to fight their enemies directly and in the open. But as tempting as that was, Rachel knew that the TND's mystery was what had protected them up to this point. They'd always been the attackers, never the attacked. Not only would they likely gain a flood of new enemies, but also they would no longer be able to act without the fear of retaliation. They'd be vulnerable.

Rachel thought on this as she sat at the long, glass table. Most of the others around her were seniors, or college students. The TND consisted of agents aged 13 to 20, as one wasn't technically considered an adult until 21, at least in the eyes of the law. There were some familiar faces though- for one, Number 5 was sitting on Rachel's left. Abby hadn't exactly been happy about Rachel choosing her for a successor upon leaving the KND, and was equally irritated at having to pick up her slack that morning. But Rachel couldn't really apologize; Abby was a great stealth operative and a strong agent, not to mention she possessed the rare trait of sanity. There were others at the table as well- Number 2 and Number 74.239 were representing the 2x4 Tech Division. Rachel couldn't say if either of them had changed since childhood. Number 2 had gotten thinner and hadn't lost his absolutely terrible sense of humor, but other than that she didn't know much. She'd been more or less been isolated in the Covert Operations Department, away from familiar faces. The doors opened, and instinctively everyone stood up and at attention.

"Well this is flattering, but I think you were expecting someone else."

All at once, there was a collective wince as even the older operatives stumbled to sit back down.

Number 2012 was the leader of the Seniority Squad. She was tall, lean, blonde and possessed what could only be called a cruel beauty. Her walk was cold and confident, her posture perfect. The Seniority Squad was a faction within the TND that handled… the more unsavory missions. They rarely interacted with the rest of the organization and could only be found after being summoned. Answering to no one but the Absolute Leader herself, they were known as a team of cold-hearted and merciless machines, and the mere mention of them would drop the temperature in a room by ten degrees. A sixteen-year-old girl with deep red hair flanked 2012's side, and they took their seats at the end of the table.

Number 86 wasn't really supposed to enter the TND. However, when a member of the Seniority Squad died in the field, no one was particularly willing to fill in the slot. 86 was a logical choice, even as a last resort. She'd proven herself loyal enough to decommission her love interest, kept the secrets of the KND from her father, and was already known as one of the harsher operatives. A perfect fit for the Squad, or so it seemed. Rachel had considered Fanny a friend, or at least a close acquaintance, but had barely seen her during her year under the tutelage of 2012. Time spent with the Squad had turned 86 silent and subdued, but every now and then Rachel would spot the familiar spark in her eyes, which was reason enough to be hopeful for her.

"Good evening, everyone!" The cheery voice of 783 sounded, and all at once those in attendance stood and saluted. "Oh, sit down."

783 closed the door behind her and took her seat at the front of the table.

"All right, everybody, these are the facts: The Teenz have been given information from some unknown source that our organization exists. The information has to be concrete for them to make such a huge move against us. We've confirmed the safety of most of our operatives, and still have about two thirds of our spies still undercover in the Ninja's ranks. Any agents or civilians that have been accused of being spies have been moved to bunkers and safe houses. For the moment, the attacks have declined to a stand still. They're clearly waiting to see what we do next."

"And what are we going to do next, sir?" One of the seniors asked.

"That's what we're here to discuss. The Teenz have strength in numbers but we're far more skilled. The Medical Branch is currently occupied on Earth, but from their reports none of the injuries are too serious, and there haven't been any fatalities."

"They could be using the attacks to send us a message." 2012 said, her voice chilling, "Likely they want us to withdraw our spies, or else they'll declare war."

"They can't declare war on what doesn't exist." A college freshman countered, "If we lie low-"

"We can't risk the lives of our undercover agents on a gamble like that, especially not without knowing how substantial the evidence they have against us is." 2012 swept her hair behind her ear. "Let's not eliminate any of our options."

"You both have valid points." 783 sighed. "And the stakes are high for them both. By coming out we'll be a flashing target, and risk being persecuted by all our foes, perhaps even simultaneously. Withdrawing our spies would also be confirming their suspicions and we could wind up in a worst situation than we have now."

"We have the technology to defend the base, but we're still not that large." Number 2 jumped in. "We couldn't handle it if all our enemies united against us."

"At the moment, we're only being threatened by the ninjas." Rachel said. "But we don't know what they're planning to do if we stay quiet."

"…Exposing the TND would be irreversible, and the risks are too great." 783 decided finally. "But we can't do nothing, either. Numbers 2 and 74.239, I'd like you to mobilize the 2x4 Division immediately. Get to work arming our Earth bases with the best defenses that we can, and give the Space Base any manner of protection possible. Be as inconspicuous with the transport as you can. If the Teenz make a move on us, we're going to be ready."

* * *

"You're dating an _eighth grader_! ?" Lizzie practically squealed, kneeling on her bed.

"I wouldn't call it dating." Rachel replied, stuffing the essentials into a duffel bag. "We just hang out sometimes. He walks with me to the library. It's more like-"

"Playtime?"

"That… doesn't sound so good either."

"No. So have you kissed yet?"

"I think we almost held hands once, but then he got embarrassed." Rachel said, zipping up the bag. "I'll be back on Sunday night, if anyone asks, say I'm… visiting home or something. Harvey'll cover for me if they call."

"Whatever." Lizzie flipped through the pages in her magazine. "You know, one day I'll actually care enough to ask where you keep disappearing to, and I expect a straight answer!"

Rachel looked up from the shoes she was lacing. "You… don't remember me, do you?"

Lizzie peered over the magazine. "I remember picking up your rollerblades after I tripped over them last night."

"No, I mean… we kind of met. Like, four years ago."

Lizzie shrugged and turned back to her reading. "Must not have been that memorable a meeting. Guess you didn't make much of an impression."

"Oh, I think I did…" Rachel was sure that with a little more prodding she could get Lizzie to remember, but perhaps informing your sometimes-volatile roommate that you once dragged her boyfriend from her sister's wedding on a wild goose chase wasn't the smartest thing to do. "I'll tell you later."

"I wait with breathless anticipation."

For the past three weeks she'd been able to stay in control of the CoveOps Department from her dorm. She'd be sending messages day and night, and got Abby to fax her the more important documents (costing roughly forty bucks in fines from using Lizzie's printer) but she couldn't keep putting things off. Even with her schoolwork piling up, Rachel had decided to spend the weekend in a nearby bunker to help sort through the insanity and talk to some of the relocated spies. Knives hadn't questioned the craziness of her schedule, for which she was relieved. He'd sometimes text to make sure she was still eating, but other than that, he gave her space. Rachel paused at the door.

"And about me da-hanging out with an eighth grader, don't tell anyone, alright?"

"Hey," Lizzie said, closing the magazine and heading to the bathroom, "You know me."

"I mean, don't tell my brother." Rachel clarified, zipping up her hoodie.

"You know me." She repeated, closing the bathroom door behind her.

_Beep-beep._

Rachel slid her phone out of the side pouch on her duffel. "Hello?"

"_You're dating an eighth grader! ? Seriously! ?" _Rachel glanced at the caller id, and felt the need to bash her head against the wall.

"That's not true, who told you that?"

"_Lizzie, duh."_

"That gossipy bitch."

Unfortunately the two of them had hit it off a little too well during the parent's weekend, likely bonding over their shared love of making Rachel pull her own hair out.

"You know me!" Lizzie's voice called over the running shower.

"Lizzie!" Rachel groaned and fell into a nearby chair.

"_How old are you now Rachel, nineteen?"_

"I'm not playing this game with you, Harvey."

_"That'd make you like, seven years older than him."_

"I'm 16!" Rachel broke. "16."

"_So, who is this mystery child you date?"_

"His name's Knives Chau. He's Chinese."

"_You're unbelievable. And _why _are you doing this?"_

"I dunno." Rachel sighed. "It's just nice. It's simple."

_"Look, it's been over a year now since you were dumped by 'he who shall not be named.' So is this you legitimately moving on, or are you just being insane?"_

"Can I get back to you on that?" Rachel rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "Are you still covering me this weekend or what?"

_"Yeah, yeah, I'll guard the phone for you. But don't think I don't see what's going on here!"_

"Please Harvey, do have your perpetually single self tell me what's 'going on here.'" Rachel snarked.

_"You're dating a guy my age, Rachel. What does that say? It says that you're afraid of being hurt again so you're playing it safe with guys who are less likely to dump you."_

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"_Hey, do whatever you want. Just don't say I didn't tell you so! But seriously: are you really_ _happy, or are you _really _evil?"_

"You mean do I have ulterior motives? I'm offended, Harvey."

_"Wounded, even?"_

"…Goodbye, Harvey." Rachel clicked the phone shut and stood up.

"He does have a point!" Lizzie's voice echoed from behind the bathroom door.

"_Goodbye, _Lizzie!"

"Fine, but you better come back with the forty bucks you owe me! Paper's not cheap, you know!"

Rachel made sure to slam the door extra-hard. The whole world was going insane all around her.

**Aaaaaand that's the second half of chapter 2. I know it's totally a filler, but I'll make it up with a really long one next time.**


End file.
